Hartlepool horse rider gets back in the saddle after life-changing crash

Lucy Ohlson, 41, from Hartlepool, had to learn to walk and ride again after being involved in a horrific car crash 14 years ago.

In September 2010, the car she was travelling in collided with a piece of farm machinery being towed by a tractor.

Airlifted to hospital by the Great North Air Ambulance Service, Lucy sustained brain injuries, a broken neck, a collapsed lung and lacerated liver.

She was put into an induced coma for one month and spent three months in hospital.

Lucy, owner of Petersbrooke Equestrian Centre, in Hartlepool, said: “I was in the rehab centre for six months and I went from being in a wheelchair to walking on sticks.

“I’m an instructor so I knew what I needed to do to ride again, but my body didn’t know what to do, so I was teaching my body how to do it again.”

In 2017, Lucy was faced with more rehab after one of her horses – Fred – fell onto her hip, shattering her pelvis.

She said: “After all of my injuries, breaking my pelvis is the one that has put a downer on my riding.

“Fred is prone to Azoturia so he has to be ridden every day otherwise he cramps up.

"This means I can’t have a day off and sometimes I’ve had to ride in agony and push through the pain.”

Despite these setbacks, Lucy and Fred competed in the Bramham BE80 championships in West Yorkshire for the first time.

Lucy said: “It was the first time that I’d been there, and it was really good.

"There was a lovely atmosphere, the competitors were really nice and I wasn’t nervous or overwhelmed.

“There must have been around 50 people supporting us, including about 20 wearing red clothing and caps while watching us, which was amazing.”

Lucy has thanked the emergency services who helped save her life.

She said: “I wouldn’t be here without the Great North Air Ambulance so the charity absolutely needs to be supported.

"You never know when you might need them, so I would encourage people to donate so they can continue helping others.”